HOUSE OF ILLUSIONS

December 9, 2016

I've come to love juxtaposition in fashion. Maybe it's the Gemini in me that yearns for extreme opposites to blend together in harmony - yet as I type this I can't help but realize just how much my zodiac sign has impacted my life. Fashion aside, my two favourite types of music are soca and heavy metal - two extreme opposites. So I guess it's no wonder that I wanted to pair a chic yet edgy biker jacket with trackpants and a pair of elegant heels. But I love the contrasting mixture no different than Metallica following up a Destra Garcia song. When going for this look, if that 'off the runway kinda vibe' is what you're after then pair your track pants with a very elegant, somewhat statement heel. A feminine bag will compliment the look as well.

A benefit of this look is the effortless transition from day to night. You can easily wear this look to run errands during the day, and for night just add strappy sandals or dainty pumps. Anyone else out there who seems to be drawn to opposites?

December 7, 2016

Every year I tell myself that this will be the year that I: get all my Christmas shopping done well before December, holiday decorations put up early enough to actually enjoy them for a minute before taking them down again, and lastly, to devote an entire evening to wrapping gifts while sipping on a glass of wine, and just enjoying the moment. Well...so far this year is trending worse than ever! Procrastinating and just being overworked and run down, have me scrambling to put up the tree this weekend (hopefully) and getting my ass into gear to start shopping for holiday gifts. So as I'm currently drafting lists of what to get for who, I thought I'd put together a quick holiday shopping guide to help any of you (who like me) are still looking for gift ideas.

December 3, 2016

Pairing shift or jersey mini dresses with longer loose cut jackets is a fave of mine in the Fall and Spring. Typically though I wear them with high heels but for running around sometimes heels just aren't practical so I wore them with my moccasins and kinda liked the more laid back look. I added a bold patterned scarf to offset the flats and added some chic accessories: sunnies, Samantha Wills ring and LV clutch. For a colder dayI would have added a pair of leggings and most likely ankle boots. Maybe potentially swapped the scarf for a fur stole.

November 28, 2016

Walks in the park (or nature trails in my case) just got a whole lot more comfortable and cute thanks to Sanuk. I love me a good pair of comfy flats and being someone who lives in moccasins at times, I was excited to try these Sanuk sidewalk surfers. I was immediately drawn to the bright pink tweed and with winter being just around the corner, the faux shearling lining seemed too perfect. I couldn't think of a better way to try them out than getting away from it all and heading out to explore some new landscapes. Although the sun was out, it was a bit chilly but the shearling did it's thing and kept my feet warm. Talk about comfort though...these shoes were so soft and comfy, it almost feels like you're walking on a plush teddy bear - you know one of those really nice and soft ones that you just wanna squish because they're so soft. I had them on all day and did not want to take them off when I got home because they just felt too nice on. But really, it's no wonder they are so comfy with their blend of real yoga mat footbeds and soft surrounding material. They even held up really good on the trails and were quite comfortable to walk in even on uneven and rocky terrain. If you're looking for comfortable footwear, whether it be for walking the trails or simply doing your grocery shopping, these will not disappoint you. Plus they come in all sorts of funky styles and patterns to keep you smiling while you walk around comfortably in your Sanuks.

November 24, 2016

'Tis the season for warehouse sales to start popping up and I've always been a bit intrigued whether or not the sales they boast are legit. Well this year I got to see what these sales are all about first hand after being invited to attend a VIP shopping night for the Nordstrom warehouse sale and I must say I was impressed.

If you follow me on Insta you would have seen some of the endless shoe tables, racks with flowly floral prints and other designer goodness that spread the sales floor on my IG stories. With so many different pieces to choose from, I decided to focus on creating just one fall/winter outfit and started off with a chunky knit Madewell cardigan and Free People tunic/dress. I realize that a no-brainer with those two pieces would have been leggings as bottoms, but I wanted to do something different. While walking around looking for tights I came across this Halogen knit maxi skirt and knew it was not only perfect for my look, but also as a staple in my closet for the rest of this Fall/Winter season. I feel I should also mention that I found a light grey biker jacket (that although it didn't make this post) will be a great substitute for the cardigan in this look on a colder day.

Happy with these items I headed towards the checkout. Being a total newbie to these warehouse sales I was content with the handwritten prices overtop the crossed out printed ticket prices, only to find out that there was categorized pricing which overrode all the handwritten prices! Wait a minute...you mean to tell me that the $420 retail rag & bone scarf I'm holding, that has $56 handwritten on it, is really $15? Seriously? Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming. But no, I wasn't dreaming. I was standing in the middle of the Nordstrom warehouse sale and just when I thought things couldn't get any better they did. This applied to all my merchandise which suddenly extended my budget allowing me to complete the look with boots and a bag.

So to recap...there is a massive selection of garments, not just women's but men's and kid's too, with sales ranging from 80% upwards to 95% off retail prices.

And if this is your first time, I've put together a few tips to help you along the way.

My Tips for Shopping a Warehouse Sale

💜Get there early. Not only will you avoid those long line ups, but chances are you'll get first dibs on some real goodies.

💜 If you see something you like, grab it. Even if you're not sure you want it. Because chances are, if you leave it, it will be gone by the time you come back for it.

💜 Be mindful of your space and stay focused. By that I mean you want to avoid the Sex and the City fight over a pair of boots scene, so keep your eye on the target and be aware of people that may get in front of you to snatch what you're going for...because sadly, these things can happen in real life.

💜 Wear comfortable shoes, you could potentially end up doing a lot of running up and down the sale floor and be prepared to stay for a while as you will have to go through every rack to find those hidden gems.

💜 If you don't see something in your size, don't get discouraged. The size you want may be sitting in a different area/rack marked a different size, so do a quick skim through other sized racks before giving up.

💜 And yes, the rumours about the fitting rooms are true - there are no fitting rooms. It's just one big room with mirrors throughout, separate areas for women's and men's. No privacy here, but hey I'm not complaining as I'm slipping into a $30 Free People dress that retails for $180.

💜 And most important of all - have fun!

So if you are in the Toronto or GTA/Mississauga area, I urge you to check this out. Even if you're not looking for anything for yourself, this would be a great place to pick up gifts for the holidays.